Hello and a very big welcome to our Nursery page!
We are a small and welcoming nursery established in September 2000. Our aim is to provide the highest possible standard of nursery care and education. Our nursery teaching team are Mrs Boardman, Mrs Dickinson, Mrs Page and Mrs Heaton. The nursery is open on a full-time basis, from 8.50am-3.20pm. Places are available to children from the age of two.
Two-year-old nursery provision is available to children who are eligible for two year old funded hours and children who are not. Non funded Two-year olds can attend at a cost of £6.00 per hour or just £30.00 a day. From the term after your child turns three, they are entitled to either the 15 Hour Universal Offer or the 30 Hour Extended Offer of free education each week. The hours can be used to cover either full day or half day sessions. Any additional time will be charged at a minimal cost. You can apply for a place by filling out our admission form which is available at the school reception.
In nursery we enjoy lots of learning through play. We have plenty of things to explore and keep us busy as we grow and develop. There's the option of both indoor and outdoor play. Activities are child led, so are planned around your children’s interests and tailored to individual needs.
Nursery gives children a great opportunity to make lots of friends their own age and practise their social skills. We work from the Early Years Foundation Stage curriculum and focus upon our language development, emotional well-being and physical development.
We follow a structured but flexible routine which prepares our children for a seamless transition into reception class. Each day the children will take part in adult led activities including communication and language activities, games to encourage sharing and phonics where we follow Letters and Sounds, which is a programme that encourages listening and pre reading.
Every day the school kitchen team make us a choice of hot meals for the children which are served within the nursery building.
The EYFS at Holy Family includes both the nursery and reception class. The statutory document we follow is the EYFS Framework 2021.
The EYFS Framework explains how and what your child will be learning to support their healthy development.
Your child will be learning skills, acquiring new knowledge and demonstrating their understanding through 7 areas of learning and development.
Children should mostly develop the 3 prime areas first. These are:
- Communication and language;
- Physical development; and
- Personal, social and emotional development.
These prime areas are those most essential for your child’s healthy development and future learning.
As children grow, the prime areas will help them to develop skills in 4 specific areas.
These are:
- Literacy;
- Mathematics;
- Understanding the world; and
- Expressive arts and design.
These 7 areas are used to plan your child’s learning and activities. When teaching and supporting your child we will make sure that the activities are suited to your child’s unique needs. This is a little bit like a curriculum in primary and secondary schools, but it's suitable for very young children, and it's designed to be really flexible so that we can follow your child's unique needs and interests.
Children in the EYFS learn by playing and exploring, being active, and through creative and critical thinking which takes place both indoors and outside.
You can find more information about the EYFS Framework here
General Information
Our Staff
Our nursery teaching team are Mrs Boardman, Mrs Dickinson, Mrs Page and Mrs Heaton.
P.E
P.E takes place on Tuesday mornings in the school hall.
Please can you ensure that your child's hair is tied up and earrings are removed if necessary.
Routines
Please ensure your child brings into nursery a reusable water bottle with a sports lid, filled with water, daily.
Children will be offered toast and milk in the mornings.
Every day the school kitchen team make us a choice of hot meals for the children which are served within the nursery building. You will be able to order your child's choice as you drop your child off in the morning.
Fruit will be offered in the afternoons. As we cannot determine which fruit we receive, you are welcome to send your child in with a piece of fruit of their choice.
Please ensure that you send your children in with appropriate clothing/protection for the weather as we will be learning outdoors whenever possible.
Spare clothes should always be provided in case of any accidents.
All individual items brought into nursery should be clearly named, especially water bottles.
Homework
A weekly overview of our learning will be posted on class dojo on a Friday with ideas and activities for you to complete at home if you wish.
We kindly ask that if you do complete any activities at home with your child, that you upload them to your child's class dojo portfolio for us to share in class.
Phonics
We follow a validated SSP programme with the DFE called Supersonic Phonic Friends.
Children will meet several friendly characters who represent each skill involved. Supported by their Supersonic Phonic Friends, this approach will ensure children develop confidence and apply each skill to their own reading and writing.
We work through 7 aspects: environmental sounds, instrumental sounds, body percussion, rhythm and rhyme, alliteration, voice sounds and oral blending and segmenting.
Class Dojo
As a school we use a free app that helps teachers, families and students stay connected.
Using the class story page we can keep families up-to-date with information and children's learning.
'Chats' gives teachers and families the opportunity to send private messages during working hours regarding regarding their children.
Portfolios allows children to share their learning with teachers and families through a range of media.